


No pasarán.

by lichtertanz



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: AU Malec, Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Hotels, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Secrets, Slow Burn, Strolling through New York, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2019-05-28 12:08:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 8,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15048701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lichtertanz/pseuds/lichtertanz
Summary: As long as he could remember the world overlooked Magnus Bane and sometimes it hurt him like hell. But now this was exactly what he needed. So after arriving in Brooklyn he promised to do everything to stay the same. Invisible to others.





	1. Invisibilities

**Author's Note:**

> I actually don't know where I will go with this story exactly but I hope some of you will join me to find out together.

"You take over the shifts from Saturday till Thursday. Raphael will supervise you the first day. You have ten minutes to clean each room." Aldertree explained. 

"That's fine with me." Magnus nodded showing no emotions.

"No interactions with hotel guest besides greetings and formal pleasantries. Is that understood?" The manager warned him.

"Of course ...the less the better." 

Aldertree handed him over some paper and a key card: "So we have an agreement." 

Magnus grabbed them and held them more tightly than necessary: "Yes, thank you for giving me this chance."

"Don't screw up. Under these circumstances you probably won't get any more." 

Relief and anxiety flowed through Magnus at the same time. He had finally found a workplace.

Nevertheless the whole conversation was a sharp reminder how fragile his life would still be, even after he had arrived in Brooklyn.

 

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

 

"Alec, we have agreed to keep our relationship private." The blond man sighed. 

"Well keeping us private for such a long time is one thing, Sebastian. But now you are going public with a 'girlfriend'? That was never part of our deal."

"Do you know how much is at stake right now with my possible promotion? The company is very traditional. It is just a little show to speed things up. Nothing is going to change between us. And with the higher income we can finally move to a bigger loft. It is so cramped here." 

"Of course. After all you need more space for your girlfriend." Alec replied rolling his eyes.

Sebastian growled. "Stop being such a big drama queen."

The voice of Alec changed from an angry tone to a defeated sound: "You know what? You are right. I'm tired of it. Tired of all the acting and hiding. Tired of being invisible..." 

"Is this a threat? If you tell anybody about us I swear..." Sebastian took a few steps towards Alec but the young man increased the distance immediately.  

"You really don't get it. Screw it. Screw all of this." 

Tiredly Alec grabbed his bag and stormed out of the place he had considered as home. 

 

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

 

After working three weeks at the Edom Hotel Magnus actually managed to clean most of the rooms just in time.

Hurrying between three floors up and down he felt very exhausted in the evenings but sometimes he would still have troubles to sleep.

As expected most people didn't seem to notice him at all which was finally an advantage. He had no intention to change it.  

 

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

 

"How long will you stay with us, Mr. Lightwood?" Ms. Rollins asked with a genuine smile which went beyond formalities. 

"I (...) actually don't know yet. At least for two weeks I think." The young man seemed to be nervous, flinching his hands. 

"Very well. If you want to extend your stay at Edom just give us a short notice. Your room number is 1303. It has a lovely balcony with a view over the Brooklyn Bridge."

She handed him over the key to his room and suppressed the need to say "Everything's gonna be alright." 

"Thank you." Alec quickly grabbed it and rushed over to the elevator, not in the mood for another conversation. 

After making himself familiar with the room and placing his few belongings out from his luggage he took a step outside the balcony. 

Alec starred at the city lights and wondered how long it would take him to find a new home.

Although the view was really incredible staying in the hotel wasn't something he looked forward to.

He valued his privacy very much which seemed rather ironic after the break-up with his partner. 

So when he heard the words "Housekeeping" he just rolled his eyes and sighed.  

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How do you think will this story continue? Why is it important for Magnus to stay invisible and for Alec quite the opposite? I appreciate your feedback on content and style :-)


	2. Close up

Magnus found himself thinking again about the new guest in room 1303.

"Is it normal that people have a 'Don't disturb sign' on for all the time? I mean it is seven days now?!"

Raphael seemed unimpressed "It happens and it is none of our business. You should be glad to have more time for the other rooms."

"Of course... I was just wondering if we ... what if something is wrong and the guest needs our help?"

"Again not our responsibility. Do what's in your contract. And we stay out as long as the sign is up, the room is paid and no screams or smell come out of it. Have I made myself clear?" Raphael dissed. "Besides I met the guy the first night of his stay. He didn't seem like looking for any company soon."

Magnus decided to let the issue go reminding himself to stay out of troubles. For his sake. And for the sake of others.

 

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

 

 

After visiting more than ten possible flats to rent Alec was frustrated. 

One was even smaller than the bathroom in his hotel room. The others were shabby but not in the vintage-chic-style. More like waiting for the next crime scene to happen. 

He decided to give himself a break over the weekend and continue on Monday looking for a better place.

He had heard nothing from Sebastian after their break-up. A part of Alec was still furious about how less his former partner seemed to care. Another part desperately wanted to hear his voice apologizing and set things right again.

And this made Alec even more angry. How could he have been so stupid to overlook all the signs? Probably it was never the intention of Sebastian to go public with their relationship. 

He remembered a song text. "You fight for a love when it happens. Not afterwards." 

 

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

 

 

When Magnus left room number 1301 he was mentally already in 1305 when he discovered that the sign was turned to "Tidy up" on the door of 1303.

Nervously he turned the key wondering what would be waiting inside and if ten minutes were nearly enough to clean up.

When he entered the room he was even more surprised. Everything seemed so ... untouched. Like nobody had been there at all.

There were only a few dark clothes hanging in the closet. You could hardly make out the difference between them. On the nightstand was just one book. "Exit mundi. The best ways to end life on earth."

Oh boy. This guest must really be a charmer, beating the lack of optimism Magnus had himself. He imagined a 70 year old grey haired nagger yelling at kids and cats for no reason besides their existence.

 

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

 

 

After three days, where the "Don't disturb"-sign was up again, Magnus found nothing on the door this evening.

He knocked twice, heard no answer but still opened the door slowly. Gazing around he found the book of apocalypses still lying around.

Taking two new towels in one hand and a bottle of water on the other hand he made his way from his cleaning cart to the bathroom.

Just when he was about to grab the knob the door swung open and all Magnus first could see was steam and suddenly a very naked chest covered in tattoos. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you see that or rather him coming? And how do you think Alec with his strong opinion on privacy will react?


	3. Broken pieces

Shit. Definitely not a 70 year old grumpy guy. That was all Magnus caught before avoiding to look at him directly. 

After Alec bumped into Magnus he couldn't help but yell: "What the fuck are you doing here?"

He almost immediately regretted his shouting when he observed how Magnus inhaled sharply, while dropping the towels and the glass bottle.

„I … the room … I didn't mean to … I just ...“ The young man mumbled. 

Obviously the only thing Magnus was really good at was messing things up. After two years of preparing to get here he screwed up in less than a month.

How could he ever think that this would all work out for him when the rest of his life didn't? Coming to New York was the hardest thing he had ever done.

But going back would probably kill him.

Alec gazed at the man in front of him who starred everywhere but not in his eyes. He had never seen anyone blush so red within seconds.

Despite his anger and discomfort Alec found the situation suddenly quite amusing. People had reacted to him many different ways.

From head-shaking, making fun to swearing and accusing. But this reaction was new. 

„I am so sorry. You don't have to call the management. I will quit on my own. Please just don't move until I have collected the broken glass.“

Magnus began to wrap the shattered pieces into the towels and moved quickly out of the room.

When he reached the door he apologized again. „I will not bother you any more“ he said quietly without looking back.

„I will never bother anyone again". He added in his head.

All happened so fast that Alec didn't have the chance to reply anything. 


	4. Cut

It wasn't the first time Alec had an awkward encounter with members of a hotel staff. This was one reason why he usually tried to avoid staying in such places.

Nevertheless this situation felt slightly different. There was still a hint of desperation lingering in the room after Magnus had left in a hurry.

Alec couldn't figure out what it was exactly which had triggered that kind of panic. After all it was just one mistake.

Maybe a little bit embarrassing, mostly for Alec since he wasn't really comfortable with strangers seeing him half-naked. But no reason to get fired or quit a job immediately.

Not sure what to do Alec put on his clothes and went outside to look after the young man. He just arrived in time to hear Magnus' voice trembling, obviously talking with his supervisor. 

"I ... really ... I only wanted to do my job. I just wanted to clean the ro..."

"Fortunately you have been there to take care of my mishap. Thanks for taking the extra time to get rid of all the broken glass." Alec interrupted with a sudden determination.

Magnus stared back at Alec startled and couldn't believe his ears. Just seconds ago he thought his life here was over before it really began.

But now there was a tiny feeling of hope that he probably had still a chance. Raphael was slightly confused about the conversation between them but decided not to dive in it further. As long as the guests were happy he would not intervene: "Is there anything else we can do for you, Mr. Lightwood?"

"No, all settled. Thank you and have a nice evening" Alec replied now more relaxed since he was able to deescalate the situation quickly and turned around.

Just when he was about to reenter his hotel room, Alec heard the voice of Magnus again, the first time without so much tension.

"Mr. Lightwood...thank you, Sir. I don't know why you didn't complain to the management about my stupid mistake but I cannot say how much I appreciate it."

"Well first of all it was also partly my mistake because I forgot to put up that stupid sign and you couldn't really know. So don't worry. And actually nothing bad happ (...) Wait you are bleeding!"

Magnus was so concerned about his behavior that he hadn't notice the deep cut on his finger until now.

"This looks rather nasty. Do you want to see the doctor?" Alec starred at the bleeding. 

"HELL NO! I mean it does not hurt at all. It is alright." Magnus raised his voice, feeling a rush of panic again rising. 

"Well you just sounded like my sister. Let me have a look at it. I have quite an expertise on dealing with people who don't want to anywhere near a medical office." Alec said a little bit amused thinking of Izzy and her 100 excuses to stay away from doctors.

Magnus suddenly found himself a second time in room 1303 that evening.

"Here clean the cut with the sanitizer and I will be back with a bandaid immediately".

When he washed his hand and rubbed away the dried and new blood Magnus began to feel dizzy. He starred to himself in the mirror trying to focus on his breathing. The last thing he would need right now was fainting. He had already made too much of a mess anyway.

"Are you sure that there is no shattered glass in the wound?" Alec watched him with a worried face.

"Yes, absolutely."

Without thinking Alec took the hand of Magnus like he usually would do with his sister and put the bandaid on. "Sorry about the motive. Do you think you can survive with Master Yoda just for now?"

"Who is Master Yoda?" Magnus tried to focus his attention on something else than the knot in his stomach. 

"Oh my god. You are in more trouble than I thought. 'Much to learn you still have' Alec closed with a strange voice mimicking the Star Wars legend. When he looked at the confused face of Magnus he couldn't help but smile. "Never mind. "

"Thank you again Mr. Lightwood for all you have done today" Magnus replied shyly feeling more dizzy after Alec had touched him so carefully.

"Please call me Alec. Mr. Lightwood reminds me too much of my father." 

Magnus nodded.

"And you?"

"I?"

"What is your name? Since we shared the bathroom already twice this day I think it is okay not being so formal around each other."

Magnus blushed deeply again and his dizziness almost made the world spin around.

"You ... me ... Magnus you can call."

Alec grinned widely. This guy might not know Master Yoda but he just sounded exactly the same.

"Nice to meet you Magnus." The tall guy with hazel eyes replied. Seeing the late time and the tired look on Magnus's face he quickly added. "So let's call it a night. Okay?"

"Yes of course. Thank you again, Mr. Light...Alec." Magnus rushed over to the door. 

"Take care. See you Magus."

"Good night."

After leaving the room Magnus panic returned but now mixed with something else. His plan to stay invisible obviously went awfully in wrong direction today when he bumped into Alec Lightwood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy the story so far. Let me know what you think and thank you for all your efforts to #SaveShadowhunters


	5. Trouble at the front door

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Staying invisible and out of trouble didn't quite work out the way Magnus had planed after he met Alec Lightwood.

Magnus laid in his bed in his small accommodation provided by the hotel.

He starred at his hand looking at the band aid.

Meeting the guest in room number 1303 was completely different than he had expected.

Between the first shout-out and the soft taking care of his cut Magnus felt like being on an emotional roller-coaster.

And Alec Lightwood was just there going up and down with him.

Magnus felt again a small shiver running through his body. Most other guests normally would look right through him and this made his situation easier.

Especially since he actually should not interact with them anyway besides formal courtesies.

How the hell did he end up here smiling cautiously at a strange green figure on his finger?

Of course he knew it was not just this weird ... what had Alec Lightwood called him... Yogi...no Yoda. It was the act of kindness after the mess Magnus had created.

Something he simply was not used in his life with one exception. Alba. Sweet Alba. He had known that he would miss her terrible long before saying goodbye.

Actually she was the main reason why he had hesitated to leave and at the same time she was also the reason why he was now in New York.

Memorizing her and her bright smile Magnus felt in a restless sleep like on so many night.

 

 

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

 

Only four weeks more ... but still four weeks.

Alec Lightwood finally found a new apartment which had the potential to become a new home in the future.

But it would take another month to move there since the renovation of the flat was not completed yet.

At least he hadn't bumped half-naked into someone of the hotel staff again.

Well not that the encounter with Magnus really bothered him any more. Actually he found himself wondering how he was doing, since he hadn't seen him after putting the Star-Wars band aid on his finger.

 

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

 

"Good evening Alec!" Alec starred at his hotel room door or rather at the man waiting there. Actually he couldn't believe his eyes first but there he was. In all his glory. As usual.

Alec's heart began to beat faster and he sensed a strange feeling in his stomach. "What are you doing here?"

"Funny that is exactly the same question I wanted to ask you Alec."

"Well nothing has changed, has it, Sebastian?"

"Come on. I get it. I know I haven't handled our situation perfectly. But I miss you and we surely can work this out. You love me."

Alec didn't know what to reply. The last weeks he had spent his time trying to get used to his new life without Sebastian on his side. And what surprised him the most was that his days were not so much different than before. Yes, he missed the feeling of being near a person he cared deeply about. He missed having a home. But what he didn't miss was the constant hiding. Always being cautious not to be seen with him closely. Not to touch him in public. Staying in distant. So actually his life didn't change as much he had expected. The strange emptiness which had always been there just continued from a little further away.

"Alec! Are you listening? I came all the way from Long Island. I know you want to come home. Just admit it."

"You are right. I miss you. I miss our home. But when I come back what is going to happen then? Will it be the same as before? Will you pretend that I don't exist in your life?"

"No. The girlfriend idea was stupid. Sorry."

Alec's heart skipped a beat. Did he just say no? Could they really be together after all this hiding in the shadows?

"I came up with a solution." Sebastian grinned proudly.

"You did?" A small smile appeared on Alec's face and for the first time he felt a rush of hope.

"I will hire you."

"What?"

"I know you want to spend more time with me. So do I. Therefore if you work at my office we can also spend our days together. Not only the nights."

"So you want me to be your ... your employee???"

"I think it is a perfect win-win-situation. I could use your skills at the company. And just think of all the fun we can have 'playing' around in the office". Sebastian moved closer, touching Alec and was just about to kiss him when Alec suddenly began to move. All the hope was crushed within seconds after he realized what offer Sebastian had on his mind.

"Hell no. This is not a business deal. I am not a business deal." Alec stuttered full of anger and disappointment.

Sebastian raised his hand: "Alec! Keep your voice down. It is the best solution for the moment until everything else is settled." 

"You really think that? Unbelievable..."

"What are you saying?"

"I don't want to play this game anymore and I will definitely don't take it to a next level. Not like this. So please just leave. It doesn't really make a difference anyway."

"You can't be serious! After all that I have done for you?" Sebastian moved closer again grabbing Alec's wrist and pushing him into the corner.

"Back off!"

"Only if you come to your senses!"

"Mr. Lightwood is there any problem?" suddenly a voice intervened from a distance. Sebastian turned around and found Magnus starring at him and Alec.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think of the story so far? And can you believe we are reaching 10 Mio. tweets about #saveshadowhunters? Have a nice Sunday.


	6. Tidying up

Magnus heard loud voices when he entered the floor and found Alec in the corner before his hotel room seeming very upset while another man was standing very closely. There was a heavy tension lingering in the air. After seeing the uncomfortable look on Alec's face Magnus couldn't help but to step up.

"Mr. Lightwood is there any problem?" Magnus tried to intervene with a firm voice.

"This isn't your business, cleaning fairy" Sebastian yelled out after taking a short look at Magnus.

Alec's look darkened even more. There had been a few situations in their relationship where he had observed how Sebastian treated people differently depending on their positions in society. Alec had been bothered with this attitude before and now he felt the burden of it even more. Sebastian had a talent to make someone feel like he or she was in the center of the universe. Or the opposite.

"I'm literally responsible for the surroundings of our guests and their impact on the well-being. So yes it is exactly my business." Magnus replied much calmer than he felt.

"What? Are ... have you just call me a surrounding???"

A small laugh escaped from Alec's mouth as he watched the outraged disbelief on the face of Sebastian.

"Well talking about my well-being: Mr. Verlac is leaving. NOW. So there will be nothing left to tidy up." Alec commented with an amusement in his voice. He winked at Magnus who softly returned a smile.

Sebastian starred angrily at both of them. "What the hell is going on between you two?"

"Just business. But other than your proposal we have nothing to hide. So are you leaving now or do you want to meet Ragnor from the hotel security? I'm sure he is delighted to  show you the quickest ways out of the building"

Pissed of Sebastian began to move in the direction of the exit. "This is not over Alec." He shouted after them while entering the elevator. 

 

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

 

"So ... " Magnus suddenly didn't seem to find the right words after Sebastian was finally out of sight. 

"Well ... thank you. You are fulfilling your duties very responsible. You should be promoted" Alec answered with a serious smile. 

"I am not so sure about that. Actually it is enough to be here" Magnus replied genuinely. 

"Magnus...I'm sorry."

"About what?"

"Sometimes Sebastian can be a real jerk..."

"So you try to make it up for him and apologize instead?" Magnus questioned him but as soon as the words had left his mouth he felt regret. This was literally not his place to   ask about such things.

"Yes, no...I mean I ... it is complicated." Alec clenched his fists slightly. Magnus could feel the unease so he spoke once more against better knowledge, trying to console the guest in front of him.

"I hope it gets less ...complicated." Magnus smiled. "You are not responsible for the mistakes others make."

Alec looked at him with an expression which was hard to decode. "Maybe...I guess sometimes it is just a little hard to break with old habits. Whatever... Thank you for stepping up. How is your hand by the way?"

"It is fine. Master Yoda did obviously his job right. Thanks". Magnus replied feeling relieved that the tension slowly subsided.

"Well anything else would be totally out of order... " Alec chuckled. "I still have some calls to make so will you excuse me for now? I hope you have a nice evening"

"Yes of course. You too. Good night Alec."

"Take care, Magnus". 

 

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ 

 

When Alec went to bed it took time to fall asleep. He thought about the whole encounter with Magnus which was equally awkward as a the first one.

Actually he felt more naked now than in the bathroom since Magnus got a glimpse into a twisted relationship which had been the center of his life.

Alec wasn't proud of it anymore. Funny thing though.

Without being fully aware he thought more about Magnus than Sebastian when he began to drift off. 

 

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ 

 

Magnus closed his eyes but couldn't fall asleep. All he did was doing his job. Nothing more. He repeated to himself over and over again until sleep caught him too. 

 


	7. Morning Delivery

Alec was awaken by the ringing of his phone.

"Good morning Hannah...I see...So the meeting is postponed until Thursday? ... No not a problem at all. I will send you my notes in the tomorrow...Ah yes thanks for the reminder. Bye."

He took a few notes in his calendar and looked at the clock. He had slept more than 8 hours but still felt tired. Normally he would grab a coffee-to-go on the 43th street but today he decided to order breakfast in his room. Since his hotel stay would end soon it was at least one of the few things he could take advantage before going to work. It took only 10 minutes until he heard a knock on his door.

"Breakfast" This was definitely the voice of Magnus.

Alec couldn't help but smile. Another advantage of staying in this hotel. He had met him under strange circumstances but he felt at ease at his company.

"Good morning. Don't you ever go home?"

"I ... no ... yes I mean I just took over from Phil since he wasn't feeling well." Magnus whispered and Alec could't help but wonder about the odd tone in the answer.

"So where should I put your coffee and pancakes? Do you want to eat on the balcony?"

"This is an excellent idea. I should use this space as often as I can since my new apartment will not have anything like that."

"Your new apartment? So are you leaving us soon?" Magnus spoke the words out before thinking and immediately felt guilty. No further interactions!

"Well I hope the renovation will be finished in less than a month. I don't know about you but getting a decent living place is a hell of a challenge here in New York City."

"Tell me about it! If I could't live here at the hotel complex I would probably sleep under some bridge and still have a better life quality than in some flats" Magnus made a dramatic gesture with his hand. Damn. He had done it again. Making more conversation than he should do. But it felt so nice to have someone to talk. Well not someone. Alec Lightwood. 

Alec burst into a laugh and suddenly had to cough. His throat felt more dry than usual.

"Are you okay?" Magnus knew that some of the staff currently fought with a bad flue.

"I'm just a little exhausted. Nothing a coffee can't fix." 

Not entirely convinced Magnus handed him a cup. "Alright here you go. I wish you a nice day and if you need anything else just call."

"Thanks. See you soon."

When Magnus left the room he took a deep breath.

"See you soon." He repeated the words to himself. They were nothing out of the ordinary. Just a greeting line Alec probably used all the time without thinking about it. 

But still Magnus couldn't help himself. They seemed to mean so much more. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short update this time. Looking forward to your thoughts. We'll see in the next chapter if coffee helped Alec getting more awake.


	8. Kissed by a train

"You look terrible" Again the words just flew out of his mouth before Magnus could properly think. 

"Well that is always nice to hear, I know I am not exactly frontpage cover material" Alec answered back exhausted. 

Magnus immediately felt guilty. "No!  No no no. I'm sorry. That's not what I meant at all. Are you alright?" 

Alec took a deep breath. His tiredness got worse since yesterday. In the morning he had pressed the snozze button on his mobile phone three times.

During the day he had been hardly able to focus on the meetings because of growing headache and a sore throat.

Now was not the time to get sick so he tried to ignore all the symptoms but obviously his strategy was not very successful.  

"I just feel like being kissed by a train so I will try to collect the pieces of myse (...)" Before he could finish the sentence Alec's legs gave in and his mind went blank. 

"Alexander!" Magnus felt a rush of panic through his veins as he saw Alec collapsing on the floor. 

 

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

 

"Mr. Lightwood. Good you are back. You gave us a little scare. I'm Catarina from the EDOM medical staff. How are you feeling?"

"What happened?" Alec looked around. Feeling still dizzy he found himself in his hotel bed, surrounded by Raphael and Magnus who starred back at him with anxious eyes. 

"Obviously you have been unconscious for a few minutes. When was the last time you drunk and ate today?"

"I had coffee in the morning and..." 

"And?" 

"Then I was in meetings the whole day..."

 "Well this could explain the incident. But you are also having a very high temperature. I'm not sure if you are aware of this but we are currently dealing with an influenza outbreak in this area." Catarina explained with a quiet voice.  

"Perfect. Exactly what I need right now. I have two projects waiting to be finished and a new business proposal to discuss tomorrow" Alec rolled his eyes but even this small movement took much more strength than normally. After answering a few more questions Alec waited for the recommendations of Catarina but he already got the feeling that he would not like her diagnosis. 

"Well this sounds indeed like textbook influenza. So I will prescribe you some antipyretic drugs in case you need it but to be sure I would like to run a blood test tomorrow. And just to be clear: you are NOT going to work the rest of the week. I have seen cases where people had been stubbornly ignoring their body trying to keep up their daily routines and they landed  in the ER. And I suppose that is not something you would prefer, Mr. Lightwood" Catarina concluded emphatically since she got the feeling that he was also a textbook candidate for not taking care enough of himself and putting other people and things first. 

"Why? This sounds fun..." Alec moaned knowing that she was probably right about him being too sick to work. Magnus gave him a weird look from the corner of the room, something between sorrowful and angry.

Finally Raphael raised his voice: "Alright then everything is settled. Mr. Lightwood we will send you some food and drinks to your room. Is there anything special you would like?

Alec shook his head. "The evening menu is fine." 

 When everybody left the room Alec took a quick shower and changed into more comfortable clothes. 

 

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

 

"Here comes your dinner. I have also brought some tea for your sore throat. Is there anything else I can do, Alexander?" Magnus questioned his favorite guest.

"Actually ...there is..." Alec whispered feeling uncomfortable.

"Yes?" 

"Can you ... this might sound weird ... can you lock all doors and take my room keys for the night?" As Alec spoke he tried to avoid looking directly at Magnus. 

"What?" 

"It is just...sometimes in the past when I had a fever I ... I got...kind of confused."

Magnus eyes widened: "Confused? What do you mean exactly?"

"Confused like ... not knowing where I am or seeing things which are not real...I mean I don't know if it happens this time but I just want to make sure that I don't do anything stupid..."

Now Alec's hands were slightly shaken. He felt embarrassed to share this but he felt like he had no choice. 

"So I should lock you up??? You can't be serious?! What if something happens inside?  Shall I call Catarina? Maybe she has a solution for this". Magnus suddenly had tons of visions of how Alec could hurt himself and one seemed worse than the other. 

"Just take the keys. I have talked about this with doctors before. The best thing is to get the fever down which normally takes just a few hours. Everything will be fine in the morning." Alec tried to ensure Magnus who seemed getting more and more nervous with each moment. 

"But if you are getting so disorientated  you should not be alone... is there anybody I can call? There must be a person who can come over and stay with you?"

Alec didn't answer immediately. Normally he tried to avoid situations where he would feel like this.

In fact he had over hundred contacts in his mobile phone but mostly of them were work-related and the private ones had got smaller  and smaller over the years.

He had spent most of his free time with Sebastian but not in public. Which had also lead him to pull back from the few friends he made in New York.

Actually he couldn't remember the last time he had met anyone of them. This realization hurt. How could he let that happen?

"Alexander?"

The voice of Magnus interrupted the spinning thoughts in his head. 

"My sister is currently in San Francisco...so even if I call her it would take hours for Izzy to come and then it would probably be all over. If it even occurs...And Sebastian..."

"No way. I don't want him near here anywhere...sorry I mean if you...this is of course your decision..." Magnus mumbled, trying to hide his need to protect the obviously stubborn man in front of him.

"Don't worry. We agree on that one. So can I just give you my keys and get this over with? Please. Magnus can you do this for me?"


	9. Unknown territories

Magnus felt deeply torn whether he should follow Alec's plea or not. "Just give me a minute to think while I get the new towels for the bathroom. Okay?" 

"Of course." Alec answered still avoiding to look him straight into his eyes. 

When Magnus was outside the room he quickly grabbed two towels and another bottle of water. He approached the door again but stopped to gather his thoughts.

If he took the keys he could get easily into trouble. And it would mean breaking the few rules he had set up after arriving in New York.

Stay invisible, stay away from people, stay away from problems.

He had been successful following them until his encounter with Alec Lightwood. Moments passed and his mind went blank.

So when he reentered the room he hadn't made any decision at all.

Alec was now sitting on the couch in front of the TV. He looked pale, sweat running down his face, his nose was swollen and he was surrounded by an extraordinary amount of tissues considering that Magnus had been outside just for few minutes.

Although he was wrapped in a thick blanket his body still shivered slightly. When he got aware that Magnus had returned he lifted his head: "So?"

Magnus looked at the clock: "Technically my shift has ended."

"Oh sorry...I'm such an idiot. I didn't want to bother you so much. Please go and enjoy your evening." Alec stuttered clenching his fists into the pillows. 

"No that's not what I meant ... gosh... I don't want to take your keys but if you want I can stay. I mean only if it is okay with you. Just to make sure that nothing happens." Magnus replied nervously. 

"You would really do that?" For the first time since bringing up the issue Alec looked at Magnus directly and smiled shyly. He felt relieved to hear that somebody ... no ... that Magnus would look after him since he seemed a kind person who could be trusted. 

But the feeling quickly subsided and was replaced with guilt. He didn't want to be a burden, especially to a person he hardly knew. And he appreciated his independence.

While growing up his father always used to say: "Putting your trust into others guarantees disappointment". Well he seemed to be right after all. At least regarding this point.

Alec's journey down the memory lane was cut short by Magnus.  

"No, it is really okay... I don't have any other plans. But is it alright if we keep this between us? This is not exactly in my job description..."

Alec starred for a few seconds at the man in front of him unable to express his ambivalent feelings. "Then why do it? I don't want you to get in any trouble because of me. This is not worth it." 

"Remember our first encounter? I messed up and you helped me out, although you didn't have to. Now I can make it up to you. Besides I think it would be more strange if I wander up every hour to your door and listen if I hear anything suspicious. Or nothing. Which would probably be equally suspicious. And then I would have to sneak in and out of your room to make sure that everything is alright. I think this would cause far more trouble".  

"Alright when you put it that way...so you are really staying with me?" Alec asked again.

"Positive."

Finally a genuine smile settled down on the face of Alec: "Thank you".

"You are welcome. So I will just put the towels in the bathroom and be back in a minute". When Magnus was on his own he took a deep breath.

Starring in the mirror in front of him he found himself asking: "What the hell just happened?

This is against every rule I'm supposed to follow...what if still something bad happens while I am h..."

He couldn't even finish the sentence when he heard yelling from the other room. 

"Magnus you have to get out here immediately!"

A rush of panic spread through Magnus. Seriously?  Already?

Magnus hurried to the couch only to find a grinning Alec in front of him. 

 "You are lucky. The force is with us tonight!" Alec claimed happily. 

"What are you talking about?" 

"Remember Master Yoda? I have just discovered that "The Empire Strikes Back" will start in a few minutes on Channel SFX. That's perfect. Now I can formally introduce you to one of the most epic tales in human history my friend!" 

Seeing Alec's enthusiasm Magnus couldn't help but smile back. He still had no clue what the following hours would bring but obviously something even more unexpected had happened in the last days. Despite all his efforts of making no connections in New York Magnus found a person he didn't want to stay away.  And the more surprising thing was that Alec seemed to want him there too. Did he really make a friend in a place he would have never expected?

 


	10. Struggeling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story is still alive :-) I am just busy with a lot of things but I will keep updating it.

Magnus settled down in the cosy green armchair while Alec was lying on the couch. 

Every time something exciting would happen on the screen Alec would look at Magnus with a "See that's what I am talking about!" expression on his face.

Magnus found it adorable which made him even more nervous about staying in the room. He knew he was breaking the promise he had made to himself and if someone from the hotel management found out he would probably get fired straight away.

Was it really worth to take such a risk to keep him safe? Especially since they had just meet and he didn't really know this person in front of him who currently tried to stop the constant running from his nose. Was he really willing to put himself in danger to take care of Alec? 

The answer made Magnus shiver because it came from a place he had guarded to the greatest extent possible.

His heart.

And he simply knew he wouldn't forgive himself if anything bad would have happen to Alec that night.

So his eyes moved cautiously between him and the movie. 

Alec on the other side was obviously exhausted and fell asleep long before the final credits rolled.

Magnus turned of the TV and began to browse through his phone. Every now and then he assured himself that Alec was sleeping peacefully.  As the hours passed he tried hard to stay awake but finally fell into a light slumber too. 

He was woken by a loud voice. 

The couch in front of him was empty. Damn. 

Trying to get adjusted to the darkness around he heard Alec shouting at the front door. 

"Let me back in. Let me in." 

Magnus jumped from the seat and rushed there immediately. He  tried to get the attention of Alec and whispered softly "Hey." But the young man didn't reacted. 

"You can't just...please....let me back in. Just one time." Alec's voice crashed.

"Alexander. Everything is okay. Please look at me. You are at the EDOM hotel" Magnus spoke again but Alec kept hammering against the door with his fists. 

Since talking seemed not to help Magnus reached out for his hands and began to pull him gently away from the door into the direction of the bed room. 

"Alec you need to get back to sleep, okay?" 

"He can't take everything away from me? He won't do that?" 

"I..." Magnus didn't know how to response. Alec still seemed in another state of his mind and not aware of his actual surroundings. But the desperation in his voice was almost too real to handle. Was he talking about Sebastian? 

Magnus guided him to the bed and tugged him in. He wiped the sweat away from his warm forehead and at least Alec seemed to calm down a little bit with his touch but his voice was still shaking: "All gone...all my things...all of me..." Sweat and tears mixed up before sleep took over one more time. 

Grabbing a chair Magnus sat beside the bed and watched Alec's face becoming more relaxed again. 

He hoped that all those desperate words were just part of an hallucination triggered by the fever. Because the alternative ... Magnus tried not even to think about it as Alec's voice still echoed inside his mind. 


	11. Waking up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to 4QuietRyt3r & kbl55429. Thank you so much for reading my stories and giving kudos/feedback :-)

Alec felt the sunshine on his body when he woke up.

And something else. Something unfamiliar. Something warm too. Or rather someone. Someone who touched his hand. 

Alec kept his eyes closed for a few moments more to take in this feeling that he wasn't alone.

He had forgotten it. He had forgotten what it meant to have someone on his side who would simply hold him.

In his former relationship Sebastian had always kept his distance in the public.

Privately they would be much more affectionate but then it had often felt rushed. Almost like fighting to make up for the lost time.

At least for Alec it had become more and more difficult to stay in the present. Those questions about the future would always linger around.

And as the months had passed they would hurt. Like needles slowly inserted into his skin until reaching his heart and Alec couldn't take it anymore. 

The answer was no. No to a future where they could express their feelings out in the open. No to a future where he was more important than a career, CEOs and clients. 

Maybe it had always been a no. But in the beginning Alec had been so excited that somebody had wanted him in return that he would happily wait in the shadows. 

Not anymore. And now he was lying there and enjoying the nearness of Magnus without feeling any hurry or hurt. Alec didn't know how to handle it being close in such circumstances. 

Suddenly he couldn't keep his eyes shut any longer. He had to see the person who made him feel this way. 

He found Magnus sleeping in the chair next to his bed in a rather uncomfortable position. His dark hair and clothes were a mess but he looked so...so...so...Alec stopped himself from going further and wondered if it would be better to wake him.  

Before he could make up his mind Magnus started to move a little bit and moments later both looked at each other. For a few seconds Magnus seemed to be surprised and Alec began to feel a rush of panic.

Right... he would want to leave as soon as possible. Alec already saw him storming out the room in his mind when he heard Magnus' voice accompanied with a soft smile.

"Good morning Alexander. How are you feeling today?" Magnus squeezed his hand one more time before letting it gently go. He hadn't intended to touch him like this but during his sleep Alec had began to panic again and it seemed to help to calm him down.

"I guess I'm... okay...better."  Alec answered. "Sorry." 

"For what?" Magnus looked confused. 

"For taking your time...how bad was it?" 

"So you don't remember?" 

"No. Normally I can't...did...did I do something stupid?" Alec tried to avoid to look at him directly feeling his cheeks burning up. 

"Not at all. You just..." Magnus wasn't sure how much he should reveal. 

"You can tell me. Once Izzy caught me in front of the washing machine where I had put in all the fruits and vegetables from the kitchen to come out clean. And then I obviously got mad as hell that the strawberries were all mashed ...well they would have tasted terrible with all the fabric softener anyway..." Alec smiled remembering how much Izzy had to laugh while telling him the story.

"Well lucky for you there was no washing machine around this time." Magnus chuckled and for one moment he let himself get lost in the memory and thinking about his own family. 

Alec considered not to ask further but he couldn't help himself: "So what happened then?"

"Mmmh...you hammered at the door saying you want to get back in."

"That's it?"

"Well you also mumbled something about that all your stuff is gone...that someone took it away."

"Oh..." Alec looked like being caught again.

"Hey. No need to worry. It was just an hallucination." Magnus tried to look into the eyes of Alec but his gaze wandered around everywhere but not to him.

"Alec?"

"Huh?"

"Nothing of it happened, right?" 

"Of course not...well not yesterday." Alec tried to shut down another memory. It would have been easier just to tell a lie but he was tired of all the pretending. 

Magnus' own breathing became more difficult. He felt like being hit on his chest because Alec's response confirmed his suspicion that the desperation yesterday was far too real. 

"Has it anything to do with that guy from a few days ago?" Magnus asked hesitantly before quickly correcting himself. "I'm sorry this is none of my business."

"No, it is alright. I own you an explanation." Alec answered without giving away his emotions. 

Magnus immediately interrupted. "No, you don't." 

"But you Magnus...you stayed. And I ... this ...the least I should do is to clarify why I acted this way." 

"I stayed because I wanted to. But that doesn't mean you are obliged to tell me more if you don't feel that way. I'm just happy that you are alright now. Okay?" 

Alec let the words sink in and was silent for a few moments... Unconditionally...That was how Magnus reacted towards him. Another experience Alec wasn't used to very much. 

"It has nothing to do with Sebastian...well maybe he reminded me of it, especially in the end...but my behavior last night is linked to something which happened far earlier and I...you are right...I don't want to talk about it at the moment... but thank you for taking care of me. I cannot say how much I appreciate it." Alec finally stated.

"You are very welcome". Magnus smiled back at him. "So ....do you want to order some breakfast?" 

"Yeah. I feel like starving. Allow me to invite you for looking after me?" Alec's face lightened up.

Magnus knew he should say no. It couldn't be so difficult to just say it. It was a short word. Just two letters. Just...

"Yes." 

Shit. 

"Perfect. Then you can tell me more about yourself and if you always appear like a knight in shining armor when people are in need." Alec's smile reached his eyes in the most relaxed way. 

Shit. Shit. Shit. 


	12. About me and you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you believe? I finally found the inspiration for another chapter of this fiction. If you are still with me from the beginning thank you and if you are new here: Welcome, welcome, welcome.

Magnus starred at Alec who waited for him to answer his question. Curiosity was written all over his face.

"There is nothing to tell. I'm just trying to get by like everybody else."

Alec looked at him suspiciously and then softly smiled. "Why do I think there is so much more?"

"Maybe it's the fever speaking." Magnus deadpanned which made Alec laugh even more.

"No, I think my temperature is normal again. Told you it would last only a few hours." Alec continued. "But..."

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. "Breakfast, Sir."

Suddenly panic flooded through Magnus. Nobody should see him here in his non-working clothes. They would totally misread the situation.

Feeling the tension Alec signaled him wordless to hide in the bath and Magnus rushed over to the room before the hotel staff opened the door.

"Mr. Lightwood, your order." The young red-haired woman prepared the tray on the desk outside the balcony and kept looking around, probably trying to figure out why he had ordered eggs and bacon twice.

"Yes, Clarissa?" Alec teased her, being familiar with now almost every person from the hotel staff on his floor by name.

She immediately looked caught and guilty. "Nothing. Enjoy your meal." Quickly putting the orange juice on the table she turned around and said goodbye.

"Magnus, you can come out again." Alec raised his voice, after his new friend didn't make any appearance.

The bath door opened and Magnus crossed the room to the balcony, stopping in front of the table.

"My my ....have you ordered half of the restaurant?" He smiled at Alec.

"No...After all we are two and I have to warn you, despite how most other people react: being sick makes me usually craving for more and not less food." Alec explained.

Since Magnus still stood there, making no moves, Alec shoveled him into the seat. "Eat, before it gets cold."

After the first bites Magnus began to relax in the morning sun and Alec couldn't help but stare at him how beautiful he looked in the golden ray of light.

"So where were we? How long have you been living in New York?"

Magnus coughed and swallowed hard: "Why?"

Sensing his tensions Alec continued quietly: "Just curious. That's all."

"I came here a few weeks ago."

"Oh." Alec smiled at him. "And how do you like it so far? Have you been in New York before?"

"No. I haven't. Came here for the job. But I like it." Magnus answered wanting to change the subject. "What about you?"

"Born and bred here. Never left the city." Alec replied.

Before Alec could ask him more about Magnus again the hotel staff member continued. "And what do you do for a living?"

"Public relations...Currently I am working for the mayor of New York, planing her campaign for rerunning. Are you familiar with her? Maia Roberts. She is a great leader, so I don't have to exaggerate things for the press. You wouldn't believe how much lies and half truths are fabricated in my business branch." 

Lies and half truths...Magnus shivered slightly.

"Are you cold?" Alec looked at him concerned.

"No, no. Everything is fine." Magnus answered quickly taking a bite from the breakfast. "This here is really good."

"It's quite alright." Alec smiled. "But have you ever been at 'Ess-a-Bagel? They are the best in the city..screw that...they are the best. Period."

"No...I ...well I haven't had the time to check out New York very much." Magnus confessed.

"Central Park? Radio City Hall? Rockefeller?" Alec listed some of the most popular attractions in New York but Magnus shook his head at each one of them.

"Please tell me at least you have been up on the Empire?"

"I..." Magnus sighed.

"Alright, Mister, as soon as I am healthy again you are coming with me, all up the 102 floors."

"Not necessary. I'm sure you have better things to do than to play tourist guide for a me." Magnus shook his head one more time. 

"No, I would love to show you around...besides I know how it is when you have to start somewhere all over again." Alec replied seriously and his gaze wandered to the skyline, avoiding to look into Magnus' eyes.

And Magnus suddenly felt the need to say yes to his offer. Not so much for himself but rather for the kind man in front of him. 


End file.
